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12
Scott Barber at Barry Whistler
Scott Barber - Untitled (#SB417)
urethane on aluminum - 36 x 29 inches
Scott Barber's one man show at Barry Whistler, rescheduled from last spring, opened Friday September 12, 2003.
I already knew that Scott's paintings for this show are based on images of his own blood work, which he digitally distorted. And I recently learned that after a winter and spring chemotherapy, he now might have to repeat the ordeal.
Scott Barber - Untitled, 2003
These beautifully colored urethane on aluminum paintings and a couple of acrylics on paper are, at first glance, evocative of his flower work. They could be multicolored flowers as easily as corpuscles.
The blue paintings, another of which is currently showing at 500X (below), are the luminous deep blues of deep water and dusky skies. The corpuscle/flowers are yellows, pinks, oranges, greens, from a distance not as colorful as up close. The repeated masking and coating of urethane leaves evidence of the layers beneath.
What is powerful about these lush images is that they are also angular, choppy, and prickly. They are fighting the confinement of the picture space. Like Scott at this stage of his life, they reflect no more the simplicity of youth but are instead multifaceted reflections of decades of life battles and victories.
CJ Davis, who now works at Barry Whistler, told me that the DMA bought one of Scott's pieces from this show.
When life deals you a bad hand, you keep on playing. This is what I like - lemonade from lemons.
